Last Dance
by Lonestarr
Summary: If you can't be with the one you worship, then befriend the one you're with.


Disclaimer: An eastbound train leaves the station at 2:15 pm traveling 60 miles an hour. A westbound train leaves its station at 2:35 pm traveling 40 miles an hour. What this has to do with Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon owning "Danny Phantom", I couldn't say.

(...a gymnasium...)

Man, what a night. After what happened with the dragon, I didn't think I'd be up to doing anything, let alone dancing.

Circumstances are a funny thing. There was this other girl I wanted to go with, but...well, one thing leads to another and I'm here. To be honest, I've never been much for these formal affairs; getting dressed up...I feel so constricted. It wouldn't matter so much, though; girls don't really see me as the 'dating' type.

I wasn't really paying attention before, but the gym looks...nice. I don't know; maybe it's the streamers and balloons and stuff, but this place really comes alive when you don't have to run laps around it.

I look at my dance partner. It couldn't have been easy turning into the dragon. You'd never know what happened to her to see the happy look on her face. I spin her a bit. Her dress twirls around with her.

Who would've guessed she was such a good dancer? She feels lighter than air. Oh! It dawns on me: in my euphoria, I forget that she _is_ lighter than air.

It was the ghost dragon, only it wasn't. It was the maiden. I made sure to keep that amulet far away from her. And how did it happen?

I was standing near the bleachers, holding the amulet of Aragon. Danny and Sam were dancing, which was nice for them, but I didn't have a date. I felt her walk...okay, _float_ behind me.

"I want to go to the ball!" Her voice was so piercing.

"Hey, guys, can I cut in?" Sure, I was nervous, but when a ghost is right behind you, what can you do?

I could feel her hand resting on my shoulder. "Please...I want nothing but this. I never got to attend the ball." Her voice was a lot softer. A couple of tears ran down her cheek. I reached out a hand to try and wipe her face...but it went right through her. I felt kind of foolish for not remembering that, but she really got to me. I spin around. She's a ghost, and I'm supposed to help catch them, not make nice with them.

I don't care if she is kind of cute...and available...and right behind me. I took a breath and turned to face her. "So...what's your name?"

"My name is Marie." She even did a curtsy. Things were really different in her time.

I put a hand to my chest. "I'm Tucker."

"Would you take me in your hands for a dance?" Okay, now that was a first; a girl asking me to dance. I looked around the gym, and, with the exception of Fred and Ginger and the DJ, there didn't seem to be anyone else there. I'm pretty low on the social ladder (I admit that), and the last thing I need is for something like this to get out.

I took her hands (as best as I could; she _was_ a ghost, after all) and joined in dancing.

"So, where are you from...originally?" She told me about her life in the Middle Ages and how the amulet had been cursed by an evil sorceress. The woman and her associates had such power and liked to flaunt it over anyone unfortunate enough to cross their paths...so, I guess, some things never change.

It's weird, but I'm actually having a good time here. I look over at Danny and Sam. They glance at me with a shared look. I can't really describe it, but it looks like a mix of 'isn't that sweet?' and 'oh, brother!'. Who knows? I might get something on them that'll even top this.

For now, though... "I thank you...Tucker."

I might meet someone down the line...someone living...and this will make an interesting story to tell the grandkids...and _only_ the grandkids.

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A/N: Every time I see the ending of "Parental Bonding" (still my favorite episode), I can't help but go, "Why not? Sure, she's a ghost, but a pretty one." Just something that came to me.

Have a nice day.


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